The present invention relates to vehicles having side-by-side seating and in particular to vehicles having side-by-side seating and a hydraulic system.
Utility vehicles which have side-by-side seating are known. BOBCAT brand utility vehicles include a hydraulic system having a RAPID LINK brand hydraulic attachment system which couples attachments to a front end of the utility vehicle.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided. The vehicle comprising a plurality of ground engaging members; a frame supported by the plurality of ground engaging members; an operator area supported by the frame, the operator area including driver controls and seating adapted to support at least two people in a side-by-side relationship; and an assembly supported by the frame. The assembly including a prime mover operatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of ground engaging members to propel the vehicle and a transmission operatively coupled to the prime mover and the at least one of the plurality of ground engaging members to propel the vehicle. The transmission transferring power from the prime mover to the at least one of the plurality of ground engaging members to propel the vehicle. The transmission including a CVT. The vehicle further comprising a plurality of mounts coupled to the frame and supporting the assembly to isolate the assembly relative to the frame. In one example, the plurality of mounts permit a movement of the assembly relative to the frame in a direction normal to a vertical plane passing through a vehicle centerline of the vehicle. In another example, at least a first mount is directly coupled to the prime mover and directly coupled to the frame and at least a second mount is directly coupled to the transmission and directly coupled to the frame, the second mount being spaced apart from the first mount. In yet another example, at least a first mount and a second mount are directly coupled to the prime mover and at least a third mount and a fourth mount are directly coupled to the transmission, a lower portion of the first mount and the second mount being in a first plane and a lower portion of the third mount and the fourth mount being in a second plane, the second plane being offset from the first plane. In a further example, the vehicle further comprises a rear drive unit positioned rearward of the operator area and coupled to a first ground engaging member and a second ground engaging member both positioned rearward of the operator area; a rear drive shaft operatively coupling the rear drive and the CVT, the CVT providing power to the rear drive; wherein at least a third mount and a fourth mount are directly coupled to the transmission and are coupled to the frame at respective positions outboard of the rear drive shaft. In a variation thereof, the vehicle further comprises a front drive unit positioned forward of the operator area and coupled to a third ground engaging member and a fourth ground engaging member both positioned forward of the operator area; and a front drive shaft operatively coupling the front drive and the CVT, the CVT providing power to the front drive, wherein at least a first mount and a second mount are directly coupled to the prime mover and are coupled to the frame at respective positions outboard of the front drive shaft. In still a further example, the vehicle further comprises a damping member coupled to the assembly, the damping member being tuned to reduce the transfer of vibration from the assembly to the frame.
In another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided. The vehicle comprising a plurality of ground engaging members; a frame supported by the plurality of ground engaging members; an operator area supported by the frame, the operator area including driver controls and seating adapted to support at least two people in a side-by-side relationship; a diesel engine supported by the frame; a gearbox having an input shaft and an output shaft, the input shaft being coupled to the diesel engine to receive power from the diesel engine and a rotation ratio of the output shaft of the gearbox to the input shaft of the gearbox being greater than 1; and a CVT unit having a drive clutch member coupled to the output shaft of the gearbox and a driven clutch member coupled to the drive clutch member, the driven clutch member being operatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of ground engaging members to propel the vehicle. In one example, the rotation ratio of the output shaft of the gearbox to the input shaft of the gearbox is about 2.1. In another example, a speed of the input shaft of the gearbox is in the range of about 3000 rpm to about 3600 rpm and a speed of the output shaft of the gearbox has a corresponding range of about 7200 rpm to about 8000 rpm. In a further example, the vehicle further comprises a rear drive unit positioned rearward of the operator area and coupled to a first ground engaging member and a second ground engaging member both positioned rearward of the operator area; a rear drive shaft operatively coupling the rear drive and the CVT, the CVT providing power to the rear drive; a front drive unit positioned forward of the operator area and coupled to a third ground engaging member and a fourth ground engaging member both positioned forward of the operator area; and a front drive shaft operatively coupling the front drive and the CVT, the CVT providing power to the front drive. In still a further example, the vehicle further comprises a coupling member positioned between the diesel engine and the gearbox, the coupling member transferring power from the diesel engine to the gearbox.
In a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a vehicle is provided. The vehicle comprising a plurality of ground engaging members; a frame supported by the plurality of ground engaging members; an operator area supported by the frame, the operator area including driver controls and seating adapted to support at least two people in a side-by-side relationship; a diesel engine supported by the frame; and a CVT unit having a drive clutch member coupled to the diesel engine and a driven clutch member coupled to the drive clutch member. The driven clutch member being operatively coupled to at least one of the plurality of ground engaging members to propel the vehicle. The vehicle further comprising an alternator supported by the frame; an output pulley coupled to and rotatable by the diesel engine; and an input pulley coupled to the alternator and coupled to the output pulley. The alternator provides at least about 50% charging capacity when the diesel engine is at idle and about 100% charging capacity when diesel engine is operating at about 50% engine capacity. In one example, the vehicle further comprising a rear drive unit positioned rearward of the operator area and coupled to a first ground engaging member and a second ground engaging member both positioned rearward of the operator area; a rear drive shaft operatively coupling the rear drive and the CVT, the CVT providing power to the rear drive; a front drive unit positioned forward of the operator area and coupled to a third ground engaging member and a fourth ground engaging member both positioned forward of the operator area; and a front drive shaft operatively coupling the front drive and the CVT, the CVT providing power to the front drive.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Unless stated otherwise the drawings are proportional.